Hospital Mirrors
by Ticci-Tori Rogers
Summary: She was just another face of the crowd, hoping not to be noticed, until he came along and brought attention with him. Everyone knew he was different, and almost no one talked to him, so he tried to be his friend. What happens when things go from friend, to more than that? Ticci-Toby x OC
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

"Victoria! Wake up!" My mother called from downstairs. I shot up and looked at the clock. 7:30. I still had time to eat breakfast.

As I sat up I realized it was Monday. School started again for the week, meaning more hiding or facing all the bullies head on.

Because of things I hated talking about, I got picked on more than _anyone_ _else_, so I tried to stay in the shadows as much as possible. I got ready for the day and headed downstairs. I was wearing my usual sweatpants and jacket, both black, and black Vans shoes. My mother, Lisa, walked up to the table with a plate full of pancakes and bacon. She took one look at me and sighed. "Are you going to hide yourself _again?_" She groaned.

I nodded and began eating.

I could only finish two bites of my breakfast before grabbing my backpack and rushing out the door, hoping nobody would see me as I slammed the front door.

"Hey, Zuniga!" Two voices growled as I turned around.

Fuck.

"Where you off to?"

I didn't respond as I walked down the street and waited at a stoplight.

One got mad and pushed me into the metal pole. "When I'm talking, you listen! Or else you'll have a reason to hide that face of yours!"

He spat in my direction as I got up. I growled, really not in the mood for Kenny's bullshit right now. "I'm sorry, but I have to get to school, Kenny." I growled, shoving him out of the way as I ran across the street. Kenny laughed as I walked the other way to school.

I opened the doors to the 2-floor monstrosity of Jefferson County with over 1,000 kids. Summit Ridge Middle School.

Luckily, nobody was here yet besides the teachers. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked to Green Hall's 8th grade science. The teacher, Ms Ethridge, was doing work. She looked up when the door closed. "Ah, Victoria! I see you're early as usual!" Ms Johnson cheered.

I smiled, even though she couldn't see me through the hood. I plopped down in the back of the room and opened up The Fault In Our Stars to page 45.

About a half hour passed before the room was full of other kids, who refused to sit anywhere near me because I was a freak. I didn't care, though. As long as I could avoid being bombarded by spitballs, I was good. There was only one seat next to me, meaning there was a new student.

(Insert sarcasm here) Great.

The bell rang and Ms Ethridge waited for everyone to quiet down, which took about 2 minutes.

"Okay, good morning everyone, now please turn your textbooks to-" Ms Ethridge was interrupted by a door opening. I looked over to see a terrified-looking boy, gasping for breath.

He handed her a red slip and went to go sit down.

He was interrupted by her screaming happily, "So _you're_ the new student!"

The boy nodded without turning back.

"Well, introduce yourself to the class!"

The teenager walked back up to the front of the class and said, "Hi, m-my name's Toby."

The whole class looked at him and broke out into violent laughter. Except for me, I just stared. He had pale skin, almost grey actually, and brown hair that stuck out in every which way. His chocolate brown eyes were shaking from the lack of oxygen in his lungs. He wore a light brown sweatshirt with darker brown stripes on the sleeves, completed with a blue hood. His jeans were a shade of faded blue, with the bottoms slightly covering the back of his canvas sneakers.

Ms Ethridge anime sweat dropped practically as she laughed nervously. "Uh...tell us something about yourself, Toby!" She said, managing to keep a cheerful smile on her face. I could tell that she thought he was weird along with the rest of the class as they continued to laugh.

"Enough, class!" She growled, her eyes pretty much turning red.

Toby was twiddling his thumb and...twitched! It wasn't a small twitch like his fingers. No. It was his whole right shoulder and cracked his neck. He spoke a little quieter than before. "I...tend to be sarcastic?" He said, but phrased it like a question.

The teacher nervously laughed again and placed her hand on Toby's shoulder. He flinched...at least I thought he did at first. I then noticed it happened after she put her hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you go sit next to Victoria, okay?" She asked, pointing to the empty desk. Toby nodded and began walking to the desk, refusing to look at the kids mockingly twitching. He set his books on his new desk and slumped into his chair.

I turned to Toby and was about to poke him when I heard him speak up. "Go on and make fun of me." He sighed. "Everyone else does." I shook my head and poked him, causing the boy to look up at me.

I pulled out a few strands of my hair, which gleamed in my hands. Toby gawked in awe at the beautiful purple strands of hair.

He zoned back into the class and said, "Whatever. I bet you dyed it."

I shook my head. "Believe that, but explain my eyes." I pulled off my hood to reveal beautiful crimson irises, with a streak of silver as the pupil, instead of black.

"Your eyes...they're so..."

"Hideous? Ugly? Different?" I pulled my hood back on.

"No...beautiful. But prove that you have naturally purple hair."

I held up a baby picture of me and gave it to him. Toby just gawked. "So...unique." He whispered. "So you won't pick on me?"

I shook my head, then paused. "Okay, maybe a little, but just for fun. Okay?"

He chuckled. "Okay."

Ms Ethridge finally noticed us talking. "Toby! Tori!" We jumped, then blushed as the whole class laughed at us.

"Just listen to the lesson, okay?"

Toby and I were turning redder than a tomato as we nodded slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The bell let out a sheering ring, shaking me awake. I looked over to find Toby had also drifted into slumber, a small puddle of drool forming on his desk. I chuckled, watching him twitch in his sleep, then shook him a bit.

"Puppies!" Toby cried, smacking his head on the desk.

I giggled and whispered, "Class is over, sleeping beauty."

Toby chuckled then looked at his schedule. "No!" He groaned. "I have P.E next!"

"Ugh, you're gonna hate it. Our gym teacher retired last year. The new one's a bitch!"

Toby groaned. "Can you show me there?"

I smiled. "Toby, you go out of green hall and you know the big opening?"

He nodded.

"Well, that's the gym!"

He face-palmed and said, "Thanks!" He hugged me, which was awkward, but I hugged back.

He bolted out of the room to the gym.

I ran into history and once again, sat in the back of the room.

* * *

When history was over, I realized it was third period. Language Arts.

I once again plopped into the back of Ms Wiechec's room.

"Victoria!" Toby cried. I smiled and invited him to sit next to me.

He plopped down at the same table as me and we squealed like little fangirls.

"Is there something I could call you for short?"

I nodded. "Nobody's asked me before, but I like to be called Tori!"

"Yo, Ticci-Toby!" Your bully growled. Toby looked up to see him mimicking Toby's twitching. I growled.

"Leave him alone! Its not like he wants to do that!" I hissed at Kenny.

Kenny laughed. "Awe, looks like Ticci-Tori is taking a stand."

I stopped. "You heard that?"

Toby growled. "Just leave us alone and get to your seat."

Kenny laughed and walked off to Ms Ethridge's class.

I looked around and realized Ms Wiechec wasn't teaching, but my Language Arts teacher last year, Ms Scott, was teaching.

A smile crept up my face as she said, "Ms Wiechec and I switched positions for this month, you guys. I hope you guys are-"

"Ms Scott, aren't you going to introduce the new student?" Another bully of mine, Dalton, growled.

Ms Scott looked at me, and then Toby. "New student?"

He nodded shyly, hiding behind my arm.

"Victoria, what's his name?"

Before I could answer, someone shouted, "Ticci-Toby!"

I growled angrily and glared at him. "Toby. His name is Toby Rogers."

Toby hugged my arm tighter.

Ms Scott shrugged it off and began teaching, but due to everyone making fun of Toby and me getting mad, she couldn't even finish her lesson.

The bell rang and Toby and I bolted out, praying we wouldn't be found by Kenny or Dalton.

My luck ran out when Toby collided into them. "I'm okay!" He informed me, getting up.

He ran back to his locker to get his lunch. "Hurry back!"

I smiled and turned back to be greeted with a shove into my best friend from last year, Erik's, locker. Tears welled up in my eyes remembering how of all people, I managed to get that locker.

I had found out the day he killed himself, which made me cherish it more.

I got up and dodged a punch. "What the hell?" I cried angrily, pushing them away.

"So you're hanging out with freaks now?" A familiar voice from last year echoed.

"Trey..." Tears welled up in my eyes as I shoved him away and screamed, "It takes one to know one!"

Trey growled angrily. "What did you say?"

I confidently began to continue, "It takes one to-"

Trey punched me in the stomach. More tears welled up in my eyes as I cried, "Aidan would never let you do this." I growled.

He screamed, "I knew him longer than you!"

"At least I didn't kill him!"

Trey stopped. "I might've killed him, but at least I'm not that clingy freak you're hanging out with!"

"Well let's see if they're all the same," a boy stepped into the light.

"Aiden Previdi." I gulped.

"You know, Aidan loved you. And you are the real reason he died!"

I felt tears overwhelm me as I broke down, crying, the memories coming back.

_Flashback, May 27, 2014_

_"Aidan, you should totally hit on Tori!" Trey cried.__I was out getting us all dippin' dots so we could eat them together.  
_

_"But Trey! She'll reject me. I know it!" Aidan whined._

_"Aidan, she's ugly, I doubt she even has a boyfriend! How do you know if she made him up?"_

_"Well...okay."_

_I came back with the dipping dots and sat down._

_I saw the ferris wheel in the distance and squealed. "We should totally go on that! Who wants to come with?"_

_Aidan blushed and ran a hand through his curly light brown hair. "I'll come." _

_"Yay!" I cried, dragging him to the ferris wheel._

_We got on and looked around. I could tell Aidan was sweating bad, so I gave him my ice cream._

_"Thanks," he whispered._

_Trey and Aiden began to throw rocks at our cart, when one slipped and hit the cord holding us there._

_We didn't notice because Aidan had kissed me._

_The cart began to fall and I thought we were going to die._

_"Tori, get behind me!" He cried._

_I did._

_The last thing I ever heard Aidan say was, "I love you," right before he died._Trey and Aiden were kicking me for a good five minutes before someone stopped them.

I heard a thud on one of the lockers. Opening my eyes, I saw Aiden laying against a locker, unconscious.

I turned my head and saw Toby standing in between Trey and I. "T-Toby?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

Toby turned to look at me for a second, but then back at the boys. "Go to the nurse's office, I'll make sure they don't hurt you."

I stood and walked over to Toby, placing a weak hand on his shoulder. He looked at me, his eyes wide, just before I walked out in front of him. "I heard you don't feel pain, which means you could've had a fatal blow already and not even know it." I quickly kissed him right before I heard Trey charge at me.

I closed my eyes before I felt Toby push me to the ground and I felt at least one bone crack.

* * *

**_A/N: So, in this chapter and the last chapter, all the teachers and students (except for Toby) are real. What happened, however, wasn't real. If that happened, I would've never forgiven myself, because Aidan is like my brother. Erik didn't die either; nobody did actually. Aidan didn't even go to Elitches. So if you know Aidan Brannan, Trey Smith, Aiden Previdi, or Erik Shaw, don't freak out_**

**_-Ticci Tori Rogers_**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3  
_

**_A/N: The school website is going to be in my bio if you want to check it out. All the teachers are real, and yes, the 8th grade gym teacher did retire after '13-'14 year. All the students exist, but none of the incidents described__ ha__ppened._****_-Ticci Tori Rogers_**

My eyes slowly opened to see Toby standing in front of me, holding his now broken left arm.

"You're not going to _touch _her!" Toby growled.

Trey and Aiden laughed. Trey yelled at a boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and glasses to "get his ass in here."

"Austin, please don't!" I cried, my eyes showing hurt.

"I'm sorry, Tori," Austin whispered.

Him and Aiden yanked me up by my arms and I winced.

"If you love her so much..." Trey growled, pushing Toby to the floor, "then why don't you stop them from doing...this?"

Aiden and Austin pulled out pocket knives on cue and began to stab me. I let out a blood curdling scream, catching Ms Scott's attention.

5 teachers came to mine and Toby's side, pushing Trey off of Toby and prying Aiden's grip from me. Austin had let me go and began to cry.

"I'm sorry!" He cried, running away.

I fell to the ground and Toby ran to me. "Tori!" He cried, hugging me as well as possible. I looked up at him

Ms Ethridge helped me while Ms Prada, my math teacher from last year, helped Toby. I looked over and saw his head hung, and I began tearing up.

He tried to protect me and got hurt. _Great, just great!_ I thought.

Toby turned his head toward me for a few seconds, but his head was hung again.

I looked away from Toby as we were carried to the office.

The teachers set Toby and I on a couch together and I began to doze off, but Toby kept me awake.

He looked and saw a poster that had a picture of Aidan and I hugging that read _'Never forget, 5.27.14__'_

"Tori!" Toby cried.

I shook my head to see Toby's eager pointing with his good arm. "Why are you in that picture with that boy?"

"Well," I began. "There was a boy named Aidan Nicholas Brannan, who was born on January 7th, 2001. We met here, in this very office, right where the picture is. We became really close automatically, becoming figurative brother and sister. We went to Elitches together and one of the kids that stabbed me and the one who broke your arm threw rocks at our ferris wheel cart..it fell."

Toby gasped. "What happened?"

"He...died. His last words were 'I love you'...and they were to me. He died keeping me alive." Tears streamed down my face as I cried hysterically.

Toby put my head in his lap and stroked my hair. "At least I'm here now," He whispered. More tears flowed down my cheeks.

The teachers came back and said, "Well, we called an ambulance. They'll be here any minute."

Toby nodded. "Thank you..."

He went back to stroking my hair and calming me down. "We're not done."

I opened my eyes.

"We need to ask you some questions."

I shook my head, beginning to doze off.

The last thing I saw in the office was Toby's face.

And the last thing I heard was him say, "I'm sorry."

* * *

I woke up in the hospital, feeling sore as ever. "Toby!" I cried, shooting up. I heard a heart rate monitor start beeping faster.

A doctor walked in, looking at my medical chart. His eyes widened and he stumbled back, but quickly regained his composure. "I see you're awake," He said, well, it was more of a question.

I narrowed my eyes, suddenly finding my voice. "What was with that face when you looked at the clip board?"

The doctor rubbed the back of his neck nervously before patting the top of my head. "You just get some rest. We'll worry about that later." And with that, he left. I raised an eyebrow, now _really _wanting to know what's going on. "Toby?" I whispered again, making sure he wasn't there to tackle me when I got up. I turned off the machine and followed the doctor into the waiting room, keeping myself hidden.

All I heard him say before tuning him out was, "We fear she may not live."


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4  
_

**_A/N: The school website is going to be in my bio if you want to check it out. All the teachers are real, and yes, the 8th grade gym teacher did retire after '13-'14 year. All the students exist, but none of the incidents described__ ha__ppened._****_-Ticci Tori Rogers_**

That one sentence made me turn around and sent me into a trance. _What does he mean?_ I thought, tears brimming my eyes.

The doctor finally noticed me and nearly screamed. "Victoria? What are you doing out of the room?" The doctor asked, rushing me back to my hospital room, hooking me back to my machines. He placed tubes I hadn't noticed into holes in my arms. The look of panic didn't leave his face until he finished. "Stay in here, child. You need to heal." He said in an almost fatherly tone.

I looked him straight in the eye and asked, "What did you mean when you said I might not live!?"

The doctor smiled and patted me on my head. "All will become clear in due time, young one." And with that, he left, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts.

My mother rushed into my room crying, hugging me tightly. "Tori!" She cried, stroking my purple hair. "You're awake!"

I smiled and hugged her back. "Of course I am."

She cried, "Who did this to you? Was it Trey?"

I nodded.

"Honey, call the cops, we're pressing charges against that asshole!"

Through all the commotion I managed to sneak my phone.

I called a number that I knew wouldn't pick up, but I just had to.

_Ring! _Silence filled your ears until you heard another ring..and it went on like that 4 more times.

"Hey, its Aidan Brannan! I'm busy right now but leave your number and what you needed and I'll get to you as soon as possible!" _Beep!_

I gulped and left a voicemail. "Hey, Aidan. I know you'll never get this, but if there's a chance you can hear this as a spirit, I need to tell you what happened so far." I explained what had happened with Trey and Toby and everything. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I hung up, ending with, "I'm sorry, I just needed to hear your voice again."

My mom noticed I had my phone and snatched it, ending the call. "Who were you talking to?"

Tears continued to fall as I whispered, "I needed to hear his voice one more time."

My mom shook her head and left, leaving me alone once again.

She didn't understand the pain of losing a brother. Especially a brother like that. Having that guilt to be the last person to ever see him alive just killed me.

And finally, I fell asleep.

* * *

Three days had passed before Toby finally came into my room.

"Tori?" He whispered.

I opened my eyes and looked at Toby. He had flowers in his hand and he had something in a box.

I nodded, motioning him into a hug.

Toby jumped at me and hugged me tightly. "Are you okay?" He asked, handing me the flowers.

I nodded. "I might not live from what I heard..."

Tears brimmed Toby's eyes as he hugged me tighter.

"So...what's in the box?"

Toby looked confused for a second, but then looked at the beautiful orange box, which had a brown bow tied for it. "Oh...its for you."

He placed the box in my hand. I began to slowly untie it, Toby getting impatient quickly.

When I lifted off the lid, I gasped.

"Its...beautiful." I gawked.

In my hands was a beautiful light blue necklace. It shimmered in my hands as I turned it around. The chain was pure gold, and the gem was shaped into a heart. On the back it said, _"I love you, Victoria."_

Tears brimmed my eyes as I looked up at him.

"Read the note inside as I put it on." Toby said.

I picked up the slip of paper and read it.

_Tori,_

_I know we haven't known each other that long, but already I feel a special connection to you. You're sweet, funny, and really pretty. You're the most unique girl I've ever met. Will you be not just my friend, but my girlfriend?_

_Sincerely,_

_Toby Rogers_

I smiled through my tears as Toby looked at me. "I know what you're gonna say," Toby looked down, about to cry.

"Hey." I said.

Toby looked up at me, and before he could reply, I kissed him deeply. While kissing him, I grabbed a marker and wrote, _"Yes! 3"_ on his hand. I let go and whispered, "Your hand will tell you all."

Toby looked at his hand and nearly jumped out of the window in happiness. He might not be able to feel physical touches, but he can feel emotional ones. He picked me up and kissed me deeply, holding me in his arms.

I loved him. I couldn't live without him for one day.

Toby looked me in the eyes and whispered, "Never leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere, Toby!" I chucked.

"Promise?"

"Promise."


End file.
